Wildcats xxxxx in 43-6 win over Willits

It would be a bit of an understatement to say that the hometown Ukiah High Wildcats Varsity Football Team and the visiting Willits Wolverines had disappointing season-opening losses on the road last weekend. The Wolverines lost to El Molino 25-0, while the Wildcats lost to Piner 28-6 in Santa Rosa.

Ukiah Head Coach Jeff Burrell noted after that game his team seemed to lack intensity going in and then didn't execute well during the game, having trouble with exchanges, turning the ball over and not making plays on both sides of the ball and on special teams. He said much of those deficiencies were fixable and would be worked on in practice this week.

Indeed, the Wildcats team that showed on Friday night for their 2013 home opener looked like a different team. They didn't play a perfect game. Far from it. But they did quite a few things well and better than they had in their first game, notably, doing the fundamentals of blocking and tackling as well as improved special teams play. They continued to show the capacity to make big plays, more than once, starting with a score from midfield on their first play from scrimmage in the game.

Though they hampered their consistency throughout the game with penalties and turnovers, they nonetheless were able to otherwise control the game from the get go, jumping out to an early lead that grew to 29-6 at half. They increased the lead to 43-6 in the third quarter and began subbing freely the rest of way in a game that was played with a running clock in the fourth quarter and more points being scored.

It didn't take long go get things going in the right direction. The Wildcats received the opening kick, with returner Chandler Rickel taking the ball around the 20 and running hard up middle and reaching midfield before being brought down.

One play later and just 12 seconds into the game, the Wildcats were on the scoreboard. Running back Cheyenne Noda, took the handoff, cut inside a block off the right side, then kicked it in gear up the right sidelines, outrunning the pursuit and going all the way for a 50-yard TD run. Eric Alvardo's PAT kick was good and, just like that, the Wildcats had a 7-0 lead 12 seconds of play time into the game.

Alvarado's ensuing kick off carried into the end zone for a touch back, with the Wolverines starting their first possession at their 20. The Wolverines, playing with a small roster, half the size of Ukiah's, picked up a couple yards on two short runs followed by an illegal procedure penalty, bringing up a third-and-long. The Wildcats were definitely playing with more intensity then had been the case last week, rallying to the ball and making some hard hits. But a pass interference call on a swing pass gave them a first down out to the 33.

That would be the first over several Wildcat penalties throughout the game that, while not sinking their ship, impeded its progress from time to time.

Two short passes and a dive for a yard picked up another Wolverines' first down at the 44. Two incomplete passes brought a third-and-10. But for the second time in the drive a pass interference call resulted in another first down, this one to the Ukiah 41.

Three runs picked up just a yard, eschewing the punt, the Wolverine's attempted a pass up the left sidelines which fell incomplete turning the ball over to Ukiah with 6:03 to play in the first quarter.

A 7-yard by fullback Kevin Pardini run up the middle on first down, followed by Noda 15-yard third down run after an incomplete pass gave the Wildcats a first down at the 38. But a fumble after a pass reception, Ukiah's first turnover of the evening stopped the drive at the 27. Like the penalties, turnovers would continue to hinder, though not cripple Ukiah's efforts throughout the game.

The Wolverines picked up two first downs on short passes and then another on a roughing-the-passer penalty on the Wildcats, moving the ball out to the Willits 43.

But then the Wildcats, after helping the Wolverines with penalties and a turnover, instead, helped themselves.

On a swing pass in the left flat, Lain Enzler stepped in front of the intended receiver, made the pick, and then was off to the races up the sidelines, outrunning his pursuers for a 57-yard "pick-six." Alvarado's second PAT kick of the game was good, making the score 14-0 with 1:16 to play in the first quarter.

Alvarado's second kickoff reached the 10 and was returned to the 24. A loss for 5 on a running play was offset by a Ukiah encroachment penalty on second down. A sack pushed the ball back 5 as the quarter came to and end.

On the first play of the second quarter, a near sack resulted in an intentional grounding call on Willits and the ball placed at the 4 and a loss of down. Either by accident or perhaps by design, the ball was snapped out of the back of the end zone for a safety, giving the Wildcats a 16-0 lead.

The Wolverines, getting a free kick at their 20, hit a short kick out to midfield where it was received by Noda, who then burst up the middle of the field, getting blocks and running past would-be tacklers to return the kick all the way to the Willits end zone for his second half-the-field-scoring carry of the game. Alvarado's third PAT kick was again good, giving Ukiah a 23-0 lead with 10:58 still to play in the second quarter.

After taking the ball at their 20 again after another touchback on a long kickoff, the Wolverines finally were able to get on the scoreboard. Starting with another Ukiah encroachment penalty (yes, another penalty), the Wolverines picked up a first down and then another on a QB scramble to their 48.

They then hit on a big play of their own, with receiver Robbie Elder getting wide open behind the coverage, making the catch inside the 20 and taking it the rest of the way for the TD. A 2-point conversion pass attempt was no good, leaving the score 23-6 with 7:28 to play in the half.

An unsportsmanlike penalty call on Ukiah on the play for helmet-to-helmet hit had Willits kicking off in Ukiah territory, resulting in a touchback on the kickoff.

A run by QB Shane Baarts picked up a quick 20 yards and a first down. But on a second-and-eight a Wildcat fumble, Ukiah's second turnover, was recovered by the Wolverines at their 46, killing the drive.

The Wildcats "D" forced a three-and-out, with Rickel returning the ball to the Willits 41 with 4:56 to play in the half.

A 10-yard gain on a first-down run was wiped out by an illegal block. But another Noda run, this one for 25-yards, gave the Wildcats a first down at the 36.

A fumble on the exchanged was quickly picked up by Noda who advanced the ball for a 7-yard gain. A crossing or out pattern by ran by WR Brian Sherwood just inside the goal line running toward the left flag in the end zone almost result in a TD, but the pass was just a bit beyond his reach. A subsequent Noda run picked up a first down to the 12.

On first down, Rickel in at RB, took the ball off the right side, cut up field and broke a couple would-be tackles and went into the end zone standing up for the touchdown. This time the PAT kick was wide, leaving the score 29-6 with 1:57 to go in the half.

On the ensuing possession after the kickoff, Willits, though not picking up a first down was able to run the remaining time off the clock.

Any chance of a Willits possible comeback was squelched early in the third quarter. After another touchback on the second half kickoff, they picked up a two first downs, the first with another roughing-the-passer penalty on the Wildcats

Getting a first down out to their 41, the Wolverines then caught the penalty bug, being accessed a couple and ending the drive with a forth-and-42 at their 13.

On the ensuing punt, Rickel made the catch at the 45, dodged a couple tackles, then cut to the outside into open space and took the ball the rest of the distance for the TD. The PAT was good, making the score 36-6 with 8:15 still to play in the third quarter.

There was no touchback on the ensuing kickoff, but the Wolverines were able to return the ball only to their 15, the Wildcats having good coverage on the kick. The Wildcats held, forcing a three-and-out. The punt was short and out-of-bounds, giving the Wildcats the ball at the Willits 37.

With the Wildcats having begun to substitute, sophomore Gabe Knight was now in at QB, with other players getting to see action at other positions on the offense. With offensive line continuing to open huge holes, Will King, in at RB or FB, picked up a big chunk of yardage down to the 15. Pardini ran for another 8.

On a second-and-two at the six King carried over the right side and into the end zone for the score. The kick was good, upping the score to 43-6 in Ukiah's favor with 2:43 still to play in the third quarter.

That would turn out to be the final score of the game. With the Wildcats leading by the large margin and substituting freely on both sides of the ball, the officials announced at the end of the quarter that the fourth quarter would be played with a running clock, stopped only for timeouts.

Unfortunately, midway through the quarter play was stopped when a Willits player went down near his sidelines on a tackle, with, as in the JV game earlier in the evening, paramedics had to be summoned. In this case, after several minutes on the turf, the player was able to get up and leave the field, with play resuming.

Ukiah had one more possession in the game, ending with a lost fumble with just under 3 minutes left to play. Willits took possession and was able to run the remaining time off the clock.

Coach Burrell, as most coaches often do, despite the lopsided win, was quick to point out the his teams turnovers and penalties, enumerating the turnovers and penalties (over a 100 yards) and summing up saying "We've got to get better with those things. We can't make up stupid penalties and give up yardage and turn the ball over."

But he also noted the obvious positives, "The line and the backs blocked well. Noda was Noda and Rickel was Rickel." With the team being hit hard with losses in the its secondary, Burrell noted that Mikey Russell and Tyler Ashcraft have moved into those positions and did good jobs in this game.

The Wildcats will also be home next Friday, hosting an Oakland High. Oakland is a good team loaded with lots of speed that should offer some stiff competition for the Wildcats who are no 1-1 on the season.

Of note the Ukiah High Class of '73 will be holding their 40-year reunion that weekend. Included in that reunion, members from that that year's football team will lead the Wildcats Varsity onto to the field before the game Friday night.